A police officer has been hit and killed while laying road spikes to stop a stolen car north of Brisbane, with a manhunt underway for the driver who fled the scene.
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Senior Constable Dave Masters was responding to a suspected stolen vehicle when he was struck on the Bruce Highway at Burpengary just after 3am on Saturday, police say.
The incident comes as the Queensland Police Service faces workplace health and safety charges, after 26 officers were injured using tyre-deflating spikes.
Commissioner Katarina Carroll was emotional as she paid tribute to the 53-year-old.
"Police officers are very close - it's one big family - and today is a very tough day," she said.
"Dave is a highly regarded police officer (with) ten years in the organisation ... hardworking, capable, a beacon at the station, much loved by everyone."
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Police Minister Mark Ryan extended their condolences to Sen Const Masters' family, friends and colleagues.
"Our thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible tragedy," they said in a statement.
"Senior Constable Masters lost his life while protecting the lives of others.
"Police put themselves in the line of danger every day to protect us and keep us safe, and today, tragically, they lost one of their own."
Police union secretary Mick Barnes said the incident again highlights the inherent danger involved in all police work.
"Dave's life has been cut tragically short for one reason and one reason alone - for simply doing his job," he said.
"We know that when we leave home to go to work each day, there are never any guarantees we will come home at the end of the day.
"Dave - as a parent, husband, and committed officer - leaves behind a station in shock and disbelief."
Investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit and Ethical Standards Command have begun, as police search for the driver of the white Hyundai Kona SUV, who fled the scene.
The vehicle - a hire car from Ipswich that wasn't returned - was found burnt out in semi-rural Moodlu, about 17km away from where Sen Const Masters was killed, on Saturday afternoon.
The investigation will also probe the use of road spikes in the incident.
Queensland Police has been charged with breaching workplace health and safety laws over a lack of training for officers using the spikes.
Some 26 officers have been harmed while using the devices between 2012 and 2019, including Constable Peter McAulay who was severely injured in 2018.
But Ms Carroll defended the use of road spikes, saying there would always be a place for them in police work.
"Road spikes are used across the world and across Australia," she said.
"They are actually very, very effective.
"Since the incident with Pete McAulay, there has been extensive training, and a lot less incidents.
"When anything like this happens it will be reviewed again ... (but) first and foremost, this actually is a homicide investigation."
Australian Associated Press
